The document discusses the importance of scoping projects to avoid issues down the line. It emphasizes eliminating assumptions, setting clear expectations early on, and thoroughly documenting project requirements. Not doing so can lead to stress, headaches and unhappy clients from miscommunications and scope creep over the course of the project.

1. scoping projects
to avoid stress, headaches and angry mobs
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

2. Lisa Sabin-Wilson
•DESIGNER SINCE 1998
•DEVELOPER SINCE 2007
•AUTHOR: WORDPRESS FOR DUMMIES
•CO-OWNER: WEBDEVSTUDIOS
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

3. scoping....
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

4. a very important phase in
every project you do
design &
development
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

5. If you do not have a Scoping
Phase for every single
project - prepare your self
for stress, headaches and
upset clients.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

6. Eliminate
Assumptions
• Saves time
• Reduces headaches
• Avoids hard feelings
• Happy client
• Happy developer
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

7. Set
Expectations
Early
• Keeps project realistic
• Keeps projects on time
• Avoids miscommunication
• Happy client
• Happy developer
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

8. Document
Project
Requirements
• Ready reference point for all
• Eliminates “he said/she said”
• Provides a work flow
• Happy client
• Happy developer
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

9. NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOES
PROJECT
HTTP://NYAJ.COM
DATE CLIENT
JULY 2012 NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOES
Wednesday, February 20, 13

10. NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE’S
PROJECT
HTTP://NYAJ.COM
DATE CLIENT
JULY 2012 NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE’S
Wednesday, February 20, 13

11. INITIAL CLIENT CONTACT
|
PRE-SALES DISCUSSIONS
|
INITIAL REQUIREMENTS
|
Typical STATEMENT OF WORK
|
work flow DESIGN PROCESS
|
DESIGN APPROVAL
|
DEVELOPMENT
|
TESTING
|
GO LIVE!
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

12. INITIAL CLIENT CONTACT
|
PRE-SALES DISCUSSIONS
|
INITIAL REQUIREMENTS
|
New-Typical
SCOPING PHASE
|
STATEMENT OF WORK
work flow |
DESIGN PROCESS
|
DESIGN APPROVAL
|
DEVELOPMENT
|
TESTING
|
GO LIVE!
Wednesday, February 20, 13

13. As the developer - YOU
have to take charge of the
scoping phase.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

14. WE BUILT A SITEMAP - WHICH WAS HELPFUL...
BUT IT WASN’T ENOUGH 2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

15. WE HAD A 16 PAGE STATEMENT OF WORK
BUT IT STILL WASN’T ENOUGH 2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

16. PSD Files Acquired.
DESIGN APPROVAL DONE!
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

17. A TOTAL OF 26 DIFFERENT PAGE VIEWS/LAYOUTS
BELIEVE IT OR NOT ... THIS WAS STILL NOT ENOUGH 2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

18. at this point?
it is really tempting to dig
right in and start
developing this bad boy.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

19. the sooner you get it done...
the sooner you get paid.
the sooner you can update your portfolio.
the sooner the client is happy.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

20. right?
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

21. What they wanted... ?
LISA NEEDS TO START DEVELOPMENT NOW
BECAUSE
WE WANT THIS DONE & LIVE IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

22. What they needed... ?
STOP ... TAKE A BREATH ...
LISA NEEDS TO DEFINE THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
IN A WAY THAT TAKES QUESTIONS OUT OF THE ENTIRE
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

23. eliminate
remove
obliterate assumptions.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

24. as a developer - I can
make assumptions with
the BEST of them
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

25. assumptions are based on
a persons own frame of
reference.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

26. what i see in my head will
be different from what you
see in your head.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

27. interpretations will vary.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

28. For example . . .
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

29. THE LANDING PAGE
THERE IS A LOT GOING ON HERE 2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

30. i made some assumptions
:(
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

31. THE LANDING PAGE
MORE PHOTOS? IT’S A SIDEBAR CAROUSEL - IT FLIPS THROUGH STAFF PHOTOS
Wednesday, February 20, 13

32. THE LANDING PAGE
THE REALITY .... THE CLIENT’S INTENTION ? ... 2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

33. THE LANDING PAGE
THE REALITY .... IT’S A SLIDESHOW/CAROUSEL OF PHOTOS IN THE MAIN BODY
Wednesday, February 20, 13

34. a sidebar carousel
is HUGELY different
than a slideshow in the
main content area.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

35. if i had gone with my
initial assumption without
discovering the clients
intention ...
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

36. i would have wasted time.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

37. i would have presented
incorrect work to the
client.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

38. i would risk the client
losing confidence in me.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

39. especially if i had made
my next assumption . . .
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

40. THE LANDING PAGE
REMEMBER THIS? 2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

41. THE LANDING PAGE
JOIN OUR EMAIL CLUB - - LINKS TO A PAGE WITH A SUBSCRIPTION FORM - RIGHT?
Wednesday, February 20, 13

42. THE LANDING PAGE
NOT EXACTLY - CLICK IT AND IT OPENS INLINE - NO NEW PAGE LOAD. 2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

43. THE NAVIGATION MENU
LINKS TO INTERNAL PAGES? 2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

44. THE LANDING PAGE
NOPE! IT CONTAINS A FLY OUT MENU WITH SUB NAVIGATION 2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

45. none of this was indicated
•INITIAL REQUIREMENTS
•STATEMENT OF WORK
•SITE MAP
•PSD FILES
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

46. a smart developer
•RECOGNIZES GAPS
•ASKS QUESTIONS
•SEEKS ANSWERS
•REQUIRES CLARIFICATION
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

47. i have not always been a
smart developer
•WASTED HOURS UPON HOURS
•FRUSTRATING BACK AND FORTH
•LOST MONEY
•FRUSTRATED CLIENTS
•SCOPE CREEP
•NEVER ENDING PROJECT
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

48. SCOPE CREEP
where the requirements of the
project keep piling up and up
and up - before, during and
after the project schedule.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

49. when you have your hands
on the approved design
files - get into the mind of
the user
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

50. you know ....
the person who is actually
going to use the web site
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

51. you will do yourself and
your client a favor if you
start asking questions
like...
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

52. what
happens
when I click
this?
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

53. how many photos
are loaded into this
carousel?
what happens when i
click “more photos?”
does clicking on an
individual photo take
me anywhere?
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

54. asking questions like
these gives the client
the chance to correct
your assumptions...
“oh no, that’s not for those photos ...
it’s for the main photos on the left!”
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

55. so then you can
clarify....
•HOW MANY PHOTOS?
•ARE THEY LINKED TO ANYTHING?
•ARE THESE POSTS WITH
FEATURED IMAGES?
•DOES THIS HAPPEN ON OTHER
PAGES?
•OR JUST THE HOME PAGE?
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

56. wherever
there is an
action
indicated ...
clarify it
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

57. Never be
afraid to...
ask questions
get clarification
correct your assumptions
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

58. Scoping
helps you
determine
which plugins to use
custom plugin development needs
theme framework or custom
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

59. Doing so
shows ...
initiative
motivation to do it right
confidence
thoroughness
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

60. but wait ....
don’t stop at simply having
the conversation
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

61. document it.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

62. make it part of the
contract.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

63. YOU DO HAVE
YOUR CLIENTS
SIGN A CONTRACT, RIGHT???
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

64. before you lay down one
single piece of code - get
your client to sign off on it.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

65. find a
method you
prefer - but
definitely
document it
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

66. •AUDIO: RECORD THE CONVERSATION
•OLD SCHOOL: SPREADSHEET
•CONCEPT SHARE
•HTTP://WWW.CONCEPTSHARE.COM
•CAGE APP
•HTTP://WWW.CAGEAPP.COM
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

67. whatever method you
choose to use - make sure
you document the process
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

68. Documenting each
element in the project
added approximately
2 hours.
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

69. if it wasn’t documented
...
it didn’t happen
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13

70. The End.
Questions?
THAT’S ME AT WORDCAMP PHILADELPHIA 2012 -
I WON THE SPEAKER COSTUME CONTEST!
2013 - @LISASABINWILSON
Wednesday, February 20, 13